Concerto
Well-known member
Said goodbye to Douglas this morning, not sure if I would return due to the toilet facilities. I would certainly use Peel again and then use the bus to visit Douglas. Another strange thing I found was the local company who sold diesel went bust, but you can still get diesel - provided you have a card issued in Peel. How daft is that.
It was a bit windy as I left at 7 and once through the bridge I heard on the VHF a cruise line captain say to the port authorities he had been having 30 to 35 knot gusts, so had cancelled visiting Douglas. With this knowledge I set up double reefs on both sails.
The wind started as a close reach, then I realised I had set the course 20 degrees to low. I was now 2 miles downwind of the real course, so I tried hardening up slightly knowing the tide was going to push me to windward. On the way over I saw 4 ferries and a small tanker, otherwise the sea was empty of boats. The seals I made to fit around where the halyards pass through the spray rail are working well, but one very heavy green sea decided to find a new way to get water under the sprayhood. The bottom of the sprayhood is held down using a plastic track and now two of the holding screws have pulled out and allowing water to flow under the track. Another repar job needing to be done. The further south I travelled the stronger the tide was, but the wrong way despite now being close hauled.
Then an old favourite decided to do a replay, one of the new 5mm bolts holding the autopilot arm sheered. Back to hand steering the last 10 miles. Eventually I was about 3 miles to lee of my waypoint and down tide to boot, then the wind increased from force 7 to force 8. I decided to head very close to the cliffs by Great Orme Head to get out of the wind and waves. As I closed towards the cliff I furled the genoa away and motor sailed closer to the wind. Once right inshore I headed into wind and dropped the mainsail. Now under engine alone, it was slow progress getting round Great Orme Head due to the strong wind, the waves and the tide. It must have taken about an hour and a half to get to the entrance to the channel into Conwy. Instead of making 3 to 4 knots, I suddenly was making 6½ to 7, so reduced the engine revs. It was now a case of locating the channel buoys. The wind, once I was virtually running, was whislting in the rigging. There had been a yacht entering the channel some time before I got there and then a large Moody was motoring hard into wind to leave, they were only yachts I saw all day. It was too windy to prepare the fenders until after I was within the shoreline. Once I had prepared 4 fenders each side, I called up Conwy Marina, as I had a berth booked, to find out which side to rig the mooring lines. I had to wait as he needed to go back to the office to check which berth I had been allocated. Then after fitting the lines I entered the marina and the guy had made his way to the berth to assist me in due to the strong wind which had been showing force 8 on their wind electronics. Finally tied up at 18.00. So 11 hours to cover 52 miles and some faffing around at each end.
Once moored I took off my oil skins to find the seat of my jeans was soaking wet so changed all my clothes. The oil skins definitely need replacing. After going to the office to register, collect the door codes, wifi code, electricity card, and buy some laundry tokens, I returned to load the electric card and fill the water tank. Left the hose just over the transom and turned the hose on. It was under high pressure and proceeded to loop round and spray the cockpit. Turned it off and put the hose in the filler. Whilst filling, I needed to put a couple more turns on the furling drum, as it was so tightly furled, by unreaving the sheets and winding them round the foresty and reeving them again. Before I finished, the tank was full. Whilst refitting the cap I managed to spray my feet, so I had wet shoes and socks, but at least I had washed most of the accumulated salt off the decks. Now it was time to get some dinner, but I felt lazy, so used some Uncle Ben's precooked rice with a can of chicken in a creamy sauce. 1 sausepan and 1 plate, a dishwashers dream.
All the boat photos I have adjusted to make the horizon level as they were so out of level.
Photos never look as rough as it was
Spray had got everywhere and frequently drenched the top of the spayhood
The sun came out to play for a short while
Approaching Great Orme Head
Just passing Great Orme Head
For anyone wanting to read the reports from the start, this is the link to first one.
Round Britian day 1
It was a bit windy as I left at 7 and once through the bridge I heard on the VHF a cruise line captain say to the port authorities he had been having 30 to 35 knot gusts, so had cancelled visiting Douglas. With this knowledge I set up double reefs on both sails.
The wind started as a close reach, then I realised I had set the course 20 degrees to low. I was now 2 miles downwind of the real course, so I tried hardening up slightly knowing the tide was going to push me to windward. On the way over I saw 4 ferries and a small tanker, otherwise the sea was empty of boats. The seals I made to fit around where the halyards pass through the spray rail are working well, but one very heavy green sea decided to find a new way to get water under the sprayhood. The bottom of the sprayhood is held down using a plastic track and now two of the holding screws have pulled out and allowing water to flow under the track. Another repar job needing to be done. The further south I travelled the stronger the tide was, but the wrong way despite now being close hauled.
Then an old favourite decided to do a replay, one of the new 5mm bolts holding the autopilot arm sheered. Back to hand steering the last 10 miles. Eventually I was about 3 miles to lee of my waypoint and down tide to boot, then the wind increased from force 7 to force 8. I decided to head very close to the cliffs by Great Orme Head to get out of the wind and waves. As I closed towards the cliff I furled the genoa away and motor sailed closer to the wind. Once right inshore I headed into wind and dropped the mainsail. Now under engine alone, it was slow progress getting round Great Orme Head due to the strong wind, the waves and the tide. It must have taken about an hour and a half to get to the entrance to the channel into Conwy. Instead of making 3 to 4 knots, I suddenly was making 6½ to 7, so reduced the engine revs. It was now a case of locating the channel buoys. The wind, once I was virtually running, was whislting in the rigging. There had been a yacht entering the channel some time before I got there and then a large Moody was motoring hard into wind to leave, they were only yachts I saw all day. It was too windy to prepare the fenders until after I was within the shoreline. Once I had prepared 4 fenders each side, I called up Conwy Marina, as I had a berth booked, to find out which side to rig the mooring lines. I had to wait as he needed to go back to the office to check which berth I had been allocated. Then after fitting the lines I entered the marina and the guy had made his way to the berth to assist me in due to the strong wind which had been showing force 8 on their wind electronics. Finally tied up at 18.00. So 11 hours to cover 52 miles and some faffing around at each end.
Once moored I took off my oil skins to find the seat of my jeans was soaking wet so changed all my clothes. The oil skins definitely need replacing. After going to the office to register, collect the door codes, wifi code, electricity card, and buy some laundry tokens, I returned to load the electric card and fill the water tank. Left the hose just over the transom and turned the hose on. It was under high pressure and proceeded to loop round and spray the cockpit. Turned it off and put the hose in the filler. Whilst filling, I needed to put a couple more turns on the furling drum, as it was so tightly furled, by unreaving the sheets and winding them round the foresty and reeving them again. Before I finished, the tank was full. Whilst refitting the cap I managed to spray my feet, so I had wet shoes and socks, but at least I had washed most of the accumulated salt off the decks. Now it was time to get some dinner, but I felt lazy, so used some Uncle Ben's precooked rice with a can of chicken in a creamy sauce. 1 sausepan and 1 plate, a dishwashers dream.
All the boat photos I have adjusted to make the horizon level as they were so out of level.
Photos never look as rough as it was
Spray had got everywhere and frequently drenched the top of the spayhood
The sun came out to play for a short while
Approaching Great Orme Head
Just passing Great Orme Head
For anyone wanting to read the reports from the start, this is the link to first one.
Round Britian day 1
